Hey all, this is my first post in A.net! I've been reading the forums for more than a year but hadn't had the chance to join since there is a currency-exchange control in Venezuela and we cannot exchange our Bolivares into any kind of foreign currency thus I couldn't use my credit card to buy a subscription. We gotta thank Mr. Chavez for this f*cked up economic policy. Back to aviation...
A couple of days ago I was browsing pic in myaviation.net and I saw this pic. It's an Aeropostal DC9-32 with AeroHonduras titles. The pic was taken in CCS and the plane still has Venezuelan registration (YV-46C). I'm wondering in what routes will this plane be used... Anyone has an idea?

Since I will be flying in a couple of weeks with Aeropostal to CCS, and living in Central America, I'm interested in the topic.

Personally I don't so to much future to Aerohonduras, taking some experience from the past. Remember Tan, Sahsa, Aero Costa Rica... Those thiny airlines flying old wet leased aircrafts can hardly survive specially in Central America, where we have a duopoly (TA and CM).

I'm not a pesimistic person, but taking a brief look to the Central American aviation industry, I really don't see Aerohonduras for many years. Sad but true.

Personally I don't so to much future to Aerohonduras, taking some experience from the past. Remember Tan, Sahsa, Aero Costa Rica... Those thiny airlines flying old wet leased aircrafts can hardly survive specially in Central America, where we have a duopoly (TA and CM).

AeroHonduras is not a new airline. They were previously known as Sol Air, and have been succcessfully flying between Miami and Honduras since July 2002.

But, why a "succesfull" airline change it's name, it's livery, and use an old aircraft?

The name change was because the airline's new owners - Aeropostal - wanted to change it. They didn't think Sol Air associated with the country of Honduras. They want to build up better name recognition. Also, using an old aircraft does not mean an airline isn't successful. Using an old aircraft is typically cheaper, and, if I am not mistaken, the DC9 was already owned by Aeropostal, so it didn't require any money to buy it.

And... Was it (Solair) profitable???

No idea. However, the fact that, two years later, they are still flying in the highly competitive Miami-Honduras market with good load factors sure isn't a bad thing.

Small airlines in Central America, what about Tikal Jets they have been flying for many years know until this year where they have been expanding operations, hope they do well. I read in a newspaper of guatemala months ago, where they interview the CEO of the company. He said that they could start service to FLL and SJO, but not yet.
Hope they do well in the future. They are the official airline of Guatemala.

Nelson Ramiz (Aeropostal's CEO) got interested in SolAir, because SolAir and Aeropostal both wet-lease aircraft from Falcon Air to fly to Miami, since both Honduras and Venezuela aren't CAT 1, so they can't use venezuelan or honduran registered planes to fly to the U.S. I believe Aeropostal asumed both SolAir and Aeropostal leases and they rotate the planes as they wish. For example there is a trip report here in a.net by a user who flew domestic in Honduras with solair and the plane had aeropostal safety cards. They lease mostly 727-200s and some 737-300.

Aeropostal also wants to start Aeropostal "Alas de Centro America" based in SJO, seems like they wanna mess with TACA in their own turf. Will be interesting to see how that develops.

AeroHonduras want to fly ex SAP to MGA, GUA, SJO and PTY. Nearly three weeks ago, there were giant ads in all Honduran newspapers screaming "we´ll grow threefold", with schedules and all. But the flights are simply not bookable.

I´m phoning them every couple of days, ´cause I´d like to book a flight with them, but they´re always postponing the start date of ops. Staff are very evasive and/or don´t know anything.
In short, they better start flying soon, or else they´ll have a big credibility problem.

They quote problems with licences and permits, which doesn´t really build up trust in their professionality.

I'm not a pesimistic person, but taking a brief look to the Central American aviation industry, I really don't see Aerohonduras for many years. Sad but true.

Small airlines in Central America, what about Tikal Jets they have been flying for many years know until this year where they have been expanding operations, hope they do well.

Juanchito - Have you seen the new WU c/s! Strong rumors going on here that they'll get an extra Dc9 ex. AM! First WU picture is from 1993 so they've been with us many years! That also count!

Back to the topic - AeroHonduras has been with us since July 2002 at least they've been with us for 2 years. And there's no other airline in Honduras or besides CM & TA in the region! I do hope they get stronger and start flights to other destinations like MEX. There's still no link from Honduras to Mexico. Odd! That AeroHunduras/Aeropostal hybrid looks very nice!

"AeroHonduras want to fly ex SAP to MGA, GUA, SJO and PTY. Nearly three weeks ago, there were giant ads in all Honduran newspapers screaming "we´ll grow threefold", with schedules and all. But the flights are simply not bookable.

I´m phoning them every couple of days, ´cause I´d like to book a flight with them, but they´re always postponing the start date of ops. Staff are very evasive and/or don´t know anything.
In short, they better start flying soon, or else they´ll have a big credibility problem.

They quote problems with licences and permits, which doesn´t really build up trust in their professionality."

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Definetly not a good start.

That's only one reasons to think as I stated in reply #1. Time will tell...

"Back to the topic - AeroHonduras has been with us since July 2002 at least they've been with us for 2 years. And there's no other airline in Honduras or besides CM & TA in the region! I do hope they get stronger and start flights to other destinations like MEX. There's still no link from Honduras to Mexico. Odd! That AeroHunduras/Aeropostal hybrid looks very nice! "

hmm...yeah...i really see aeropostal's modern fleet of 20 year-old MD80s (or even older DC-9s) competing with TA's 320s or CM's 73NGs... it's just another pipe dream which won't amount to much in the end.
TACAA320 is probably right...AeroHonduras will disappear in a year or so...
btw, hope you know who had the first 320's in the region..
saludos de un tico

I don't have a clue when they'll start ops. And I believe they'll get more DC9s from Aeropostal when Aeropostal gets more MD80s from Aeromexico. My guess is that they'll be replaced on a 1 by 1 basis. Also I have no idea how they intend to create Alas de Centro América... more DC9s? who knows...

Yeap I was referring to AeroHonduras. As soon as they start I would love to see them @ MEX. There's still no carrier on this route!

I don't have a clue when they'll start ops. And I believe they'll get more DC9s from Aeropostal when Aeropostal gets more MD80s from Aeromexico.

Luisde8cd,

Less than two weeks ago another MD80 departed AM/MEX for Aeropostal. So far they should have 3. The first which is under maintenance in AM right now, the second one which should be flying and the 3rd one that flew a few weeks ago to CCS. I've heard strong rumors here in AM that they'll be getting 2 more MD80s in the short term!

Less than two weeks ago another MD80 departed AM/MEX for Aeropostal. So far they should have 3. The first which is under maintenance in AM right now, the second one which should be flying and the 3rd one that flew a few weeks ago to CCS. I've heard strong rumors here in AM that they'll be getting 2 more MD80s in the short term!

Thanks for the update . By the way... I read some rumors in these forums a couple of months ago about Aeropostal getting a B752 from AM... any news on that? thx!

You stated in reply no. 9 " AeroHonduras has been with us since July 2002 at least they've been with us for 2 years " .

In my reply 12 I told you that AeroHonduras don't fly yet. How could it possibly be with us since July 2002? AeroHonduras until now (August 2004)has just one oldie DC9-32. And they didn't start operations yet nor even have a web page where to obtain information or book a flight with them (www.solair.com, and it's still under construction). Please a;so review reply 8 again.

TACAA320, may I ask what is your point here? What I feel is that you are in someway making fun of AeroHonduras only because they don't have a website and only have a DC9? As an aviation enthusiast I see the start of this new airline as a positive news to the region. Finally Hondurans will have a carrier with their country name. I think your attitude towards AirHonduras isnt the right one. We as latin american brothers should help each other develop. You guys in Costa Rica have a GDP per capita 4 times higher than Honduras and that's why u have TACA with their relatively new A320s and Honduras AeroHonduras with a DC9.

As you know Latin American countries dont belong to the developed world, so things might not be as good as they are in EU, Japan, US, etc. So let's just give them some time while they manage to get their website online and wish them the best. Competition is always healthful for everyone!

[Edited 2004-08-13 15:49:02]

25 TACAA320
: "TACAA320, may I ask what is your point here? What I feel is that you are in someway making fun of AeroHonduras only because they don't have a website

26 Luisde8cd
: TACAA320 I never said u lied about telling the facts about AeroHonduras. In fact it was me who started this thread with the DC9 announcement. What I'm

27 TACAA320
: "And by the way... TACA is not a Costa Rican airline, it's a Honduran-Salvadorian-Nicaraguan-Guatemalan-and finally Costa Rican merger of airlines. I

28 Luisde8cd
: Hehe won't get into legal stuff regarding ownership or any of that, I already made my point get across. Just wanted to point out that we need to coope

29 TACAA320
: "Just wanted to point out that we need to cooperate each other as latin americans, like for example Venezuela and Mexico have been doing since 1980 wi

30 Ghost77
: Thanks for the update . By the way... I read some rumors in these forums a couple of months ago about Aeropostal getting a B752 from AM... any news on

31 LX23
: Luis: you're completely right!! Honduras' GDP is roughly 25% of that which Ticos enjoy... So how exactly can you explain a FEASIBLE airline in a count

32 Luisde8cd
: And finally, yes, I completely agree with you that we should all work together for a better Latin America...funny how an antichavista is talking about

33 TACAA320
: "...LR had A320's before they joined Grupo Taca. As a matter of fact, I believe they were the first A320 operator in Latin America" ------------------

34 LX23
: thanks TA320...wasn't absolutely sure, but that's what I remember...my point was that LR didn't need TA to get new airplanes